Rising Tide
by Awahili
Summary: A day at the beach goes awry for Rose and the Doctor.  10Rose One-shot.  Please read and review!


Okay, I broke this up into chapters, then I shoved it all back together again because some of them were too short. So you get a really long one-shot. I'm not sure about this - particularly the ending. It seemed to drag on a bit, so I apologize in advance for that. Still, drop me a line and let me know what you think.

PS - Still don't own 'em.

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><p>Rose steadied herself against her vanity as the TARDIS landed at their destination. The Doctor hadn't specifically told her where they were going, just to dress for a day in the sun and surf. Excited about the prospect of sunning on an alien beach, Rose had squealed in delight and dashed to her room to change into her summer wear.<p>

"You ready?" his voice floated over the intercom, and she assessed herself in the full length mirror once before taking a deep breath.

"Yeah, sure, be right there!" she called back, certain that the TARDIS would carry her words to her companion. After stuffing two towels and an extra shirt into her big bag, she shouldered it and raced back out to the console room.

She had painstakingly gone through every possible swimsuit that the TARDIS' wardrobe had to offer, deliberating over just what to wear. Finally she'd decided on a simple two-piece suit that showed off her recently toned features without flaunting too much. She had covered it with criminally short black shorts and a spaghetti strap white tank top, completing the ensemble with stylish shades and flip flops. It had become a sort of game of hers to see if she could elicit some sort of response from her normally composed traveling mate.

_Mission accomplished_, she snickered to herself as the Doctor did a double take upon her entrance. Almost immediately he diverted his gaze to the controls, but he wasn't fooling her for an instant. She could almost hear his double heartbeat increase dramatically, and she hid a smirk at the flustered expression that crossed his face.

"You ready?" she shot at him innocently, and he glared at her. _Uh oh, caught out_. She shrugged at him and moved to the TARDIS doors, pausing for a dramatic effect she knew he'd appreciate before flinging them open.

Her breath caught in her throat at the sight before her, and it was his turn to smirk knowingly. But as he sidled up to her with a smug expression, she found she didn't care if he'd won their little tête-à-tête.

"What do you think?" his voice was low in her ear, and she suppressed a shiver at his closeness as the beauty of the scene unfolded before her.

The bright white sand was cool and fine between her toes as she tested it hesitantly. The ocean stretched out like a silver blanket, rolling with dark blue whirls and shining waves. Where the sea met the sand the shimmering liquid lapped softly at the bright earth, creating a mesmerizing effect that captivated Rose. Off to the right, a smattering of rocks jutted out, forming a perfect spot for kids to climb up and jump off. Rose watched as a few of them leaped out away from the rocky pier and into the clear water below.

Hundreds of people dotted the landscape, and closer inspection found them to be human. Rose glanced at the Doctor inquisitively, but he just shrugged in that adorable way that told her he had put a lot of thought into this trip but didn't want to make a big deal of it.

"Welcome to the year three thousand one hundred twenty-two. Humans have been colonizing space for the better part of a millennia and have gotten quite good at it if they do say so themselves. This particular planet is something of a resort in this part of space." Rose felt the familiar tingle as his words washed over her, immersing her in yet another alien adventure. Only this time she was sure there wouldn't be any running for their lives.

"Well what are we waiting for?" she asked suddenly, latching onto his hand and dragging him from the time ship. He laughed as she pulled him toward the water, and when she'd found them the "perfect spot" he held her bag open as she rifled through it.

"Is this thing transdimensional?" he wondered aloud, peering at the sheer amount of items it contained.

"Shut up," she laughed, pulling out the two towels and laying them out side by side. He set the bag between them and stretched out onto the darker of the two as Rose sat on the other. For a moment they sat in silence, watching the families and friends larking about around them. Finally, Rose looked up at the distant yellow sun so reminiscent of her own star.

"Do we need to worry about sunburns?" He smiled at her sensible question and pointed to a series of towers that dotted the beach.

"Those towers form a sort of net," he explained. "Basically it produces a series of counter wavelengths that deflect the ultraviolet end of the spectrum while still allowing the visible light through."

"Sort of an automatic sunblock," she surmised, and he nodded happily. She looked out over the roiling ocean and he marveled at the serene smile that settled on her face. It had been too long since they'd just sat back and enjoyed the day, he reasoned, and promised himself to take her on more of these outings in the future. Finally she'd had enough of sitting still, and though his own overly active body would normally be screaming for some sort of mad dash down the beach, he had been unusually content to just sit there with her. She got to her feet and kicked her flip flops off, burying her toes in the sand as she held out her hand to help him up.

He forced himself to look elsewhere as she shed her tank top and beach shorts, and so he missed the secret smile that crossed her features. It was gone by the time he turned around, and he lifted his shirt over his head in one fluid motion as she carefully stowed her clothes in her bag. Once divested of everything but swimwear, she let him take her hand again and lead her down the beach. Their hands remained intertwined as they walked to the shore, and she only let go to test the water with a quick step into the surf. Rose shrieked in delight as a wave washed around her ankles, and she laughed at the euphoric sensation that coursed through her.

"It's cold," she commented, but already her warm skin was only soothed by the cool temperature. With the sun beating down on them, it began to feel like relief and she waded further in. He watched from the shore as her legs disappeared beneath the water, and soon she was turning back to him and placing one prim hand on her waterlogged hip.

"Aren't you coming in?" she asked, holding out her other hand in an invitation. He squinted into the light, shielding his eyes against the setting sun. They probably had a good three hours or so before it got dark, but he didn't intend to waste another moment. With a playful smirk he followed her deeper into the ocean, and she laughed as she caught onto his game. He chased her around for a moment or two, splashing when she darted out of his reach, until finally he lunged for her. They both went under in a tangle of limbs, and she was sputtering when she surfaced next to him.

"What did you do that for?" she shoved his shoulder and pushed her dripping hair out of her eyes. He was breathless but grinning as he shrugged in response, dipping under the cool water once to clear his own drenched mop from his face. She swam backwards away for a bit before treading water some twenty meters away. His eyes darted from her to the sky behind her, and she didn't miss the frown that crossed his features. When she turned, though, her own expression morphed to match his.

"Gonna storm?" she asked sadly.

"Looks like it," he answered evenly. "Shouldn't be too bad, though. We can pop out for a quick meal while it passes." He watched the thick clouds for a few more seconds before returning his attention to her. "It won't storm for a couple of hours yet; plenty of time to enjoy the day." They swam and splashed about for a little over an hour or so before Rose dragged herself from the water completely exhausted.

She laid out on her towel, letting the heat from the sun dry her body. Next to her, the Doctor mimicked her position, but where Rose seemed to be the picture of relaxation he felt his body still buzzing with energy.

"You thirsty?" he propped himself up on his elbows and glanced down at her in the light of the setting sun. Her eyes were closed and that contented half-smile seemed to be permanently etched on her face. Shielding her eyes, she opened them and looked up.

"Time to go already?" the slight whine in her voice was more endearing than annoying, and so he smiled and shook his head.

"Nope, I just thought I could go find us something while you lie here and relax." Her half-smile split into a full one and he took it as a yes. "Be back soon. Don't wander off." He was only half-teasing, and she resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him at his slight reproof. He left muttering something about "jeopardy-friendly," but she wasn't listening. With her eyes closed once again, she let herself be lulled into a half-waking state as she soaked in the warmth from the sunset.

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"Somebody help!" a young voice snapped her out of her trance, and when she opened her eyes she was surprised to see it was significantly darker than before. _Must have dozed off_, she thought idly as she sat up to see what the fuss was about.

Over on the rock pier, two boys were waving their arms frantically. Now that the sun had set the beach was desolate, and Rose suddenly realized she was only soul in sight. Scrambling to her feet, she ran through the sand to where the boys were jumping about in a panic. The chill of dusk settled over her, but she ignored it as the boys spotted her approach and began beckoning her madly.

"What's going on?" she asked, climbing up onto the pier with them.

"It's our brother, Jaffron," the older one said, snatching her hand and pulling her over to the opposite side of the pier. Rose cringed as she took in the state of this side; menacing rocks jutted out at odd angles from the water, and the waves crashed around them creating a torrent of froth and spray in a small cove. "He climbed down after a shell crab and got stung. He can't walk and Sen and I can't carry him. The tide's coming in and he'll drown!" Rose peered down and found that there was indeed a tiny, almost impassable pathway leading down to the sand. Underneath the pier she could just make out the darkness of a small cave.

"Where are your parents?" she asked, looking around.

"Just over that hill," the elder brother pointed behind them, and Rose groaned internally as she realized there was no way she could leave the boy down there for as long as it would take one of his brothers to run home.

"Alright, you, Sen was it?" she pointed to the younger, who nodded. "Run home and fetch your parents and anyone else you can manage. And you," she turned to the other as the first took off at a sprint, "be on the lookout for a tall man with brown hair searching frantically for something."

"What's he looking for?" the boy wondered.

"Me," Rose answered as she very carefully felt her way down the edge of the formation. A few times she slipped and barely managed to catch herself from tumbling to the sharp rocks below.

"Careful," the boy cried out. "It can get pretty slippery." Rose bit back a sarcastic comment as she took another ginger step. Opting for the friendlier approach, she looked up at him.

"What's your name?"

"Hiram." Rose offered him a smile that she hoped was comforting.

"I'm Rose," she answered, gripping the edge of a rock to ease herself down another few feet. "Don't worry, Hiram. Just keep looking for my friend; he'll help us." Hiram looked up and around, but couldn't see anyone in the fading light.

"Help me," a faint voice cried from below, and Rose felt her heart clench at how young he sounded.

"Someone's comin' Jaf! Just hang on!" Hiram yelled, and Rose took a deep breath as she descended another step. _Just a few more feet_, she told herself as she eased her foot down. The rocks were slippery, just as Hiram had said, and when Rose's foot slipped again she tightened her grip on the rock. She felt it slice into her palm and gritted her teeth against the pain, her drive to help Jaffron overriding her sense of self-preservation.

"Jeopardy-friendly," she mumbled to herself, cradling the injured hand against her. It was bleeding, she could feel the warm liquid running across her wrist, but she didn't have time to stop and bandage it. In just the short time she'd been climbing down the water had risen half a meter or so. Any further delay on her part would put Jaffron in even more danger, so she pushed the throbbing to the back of her mind and continued on.

It was slower going with only one hand to hold on, but she was so near the bottom anyway that it only took a few more minutes to reach the sandy loam. The cave was a bit bigger than she'd guessed from above, but it was still a rather tight fit.

"Hello? Jaffron?" she called into the darkness. "My name is Rose, and I'm here to help you."

"I'm scared," came the reply, and Rose took a few steps into the darkened cave. A young boy no older than six or seven lay on the sand, his leg stretched out in front of him. His foot was swollen and red, and there were tears streaming down his face. "It hurts."

"Just hold on, sweetheart," Rose knelt next to him and inspected the wound. The sandy cave floor was soggy from the rising tide, and she found herself sinking a bit as she shifted her weight. "Alright, we need to get out of this cave. Can you stand?" She stood and offered her hand, lifting the boy to his good leg when he accepted it. "Good," she praised, "now just lean on me and we'll get out of here. That's it, nice and slow." At once there was a great groan from the rocks above them, and Rose realized in horror that the entire pier was shifting under the rising tide. "Okay, maybe a bit faster then," she said, very nearly pulling him back toward the entrance of the cave. They had almost made it when the ceiling gave a mighty crack and collapsed.

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_The sun sets rather quickly here_, the Doctor noted as he walked back to where he'd left Rose. Finding drinks hadn't been hard, but he had gotten distracted by the bits and bobbles of the street vendors along the way, and he picked up his pace a bit as a chilly wind swept across him. Rose was surely wondering where he'd gotten to, and he grimaced slightly at the mental image of his companion standing with her hands on her hips in annoyance at his tardiness.

Everyone else seemed to have packed up and left the beach, and the Doctor spared a glance at the approaching storm clouds. They were rolling in, but not terribly fast, so he guessed it was more the hour than the weather that had sent them packing.

"Rose, I got these brilliant drinks that fizz in your nose when you drink them through a straw." He crested the hill and stared down at the spot where his friend should have been lying comfortably, but was met only with an empty blanket. "Rose?" He looked around quickly, but he couldn't make out her silhouette anywhere.

Drinks forgotten, he grabbed his shirt and threw it back on, digging through her bag to find his sonic screwdriver. With his trusty tool once more in hand, the Doctor set about searching for his lost companion.

"Sir!" a young boy about thirteen was jumping up and down waving at him wildly. Following that intriguing tingling sensation that usually directed his actions in crisis, he changed direction and jogged over to the rocky pier.

"Hello, yes, have you seen –"

"Rose is down there," he pointed over the edge and the Doctor's hearts froze. "My brother's hurt and she went to help." The Doctor sighed heavily but felt his lips quirk into a tiny smile nonetheless. Rose was always thinking of others; it was one of the things that made her such a great companion.

_It's also one of the reasons I love her_.

He forcibly shoved that thought to the back of his mind as he hopped up on the rocks. He looked around at the desolate beach and frowned at the fading light; it would make it more difficult for her to climb back up. He peered over the edge and winced at the steep decline, noting the treacherous path down to the bottom. A faint trace of human blood wafted up to him, and he felt his hearts clench at the horrible plea for it not to be hers.

A large wave crashed into the pier, rocking the entire thing under their feet. He barely managed to steady himself and the boy when he heard the most terrifying sound fill the air. It was Rose, and she was screaming from somewhere beneath him. In an instant, a thousand scenarios played out in his mind, and he clenched his teeth against the onslaught of images. Making a few hasty calculations, he adjusted his position and angle and leaped off the side.

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Rose rolled to her feet with a groan, spitting out sand and salty water. Her eyes adjusted to the dim light and she gasped at the sight of Jaffron lying flat on his back in the soggy sand.

"My leg," he cried, and Rose's breath caught in her throat as she realized a rather large rock had landed on his ankle. He wasn't screaming in pain, but Rose thought that might have something to do with shock and the cold water.

"It's alright," she cleared her throat and spoke softly as she sat next to him. "Everything's gonna be okay, Jaffron." She looked at the rock warily, knowing there was no way she could move the thing on her own. "Can you pull your leg out?" she asked hopefully, but he shook his head.

"It hurts," he whimpered, and she moved to cradle his body in her lap. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his head in her stomach as he cried. Rose lifted her head up, sending a silent plea for the Doctor to hurry.

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He barely missed impacting rather messily on the ragged rocks, and he scrambled to his feet in the ankle deep tide that was steadily growing around him. He whirled around and searched desperately for any clue to her whereabouts. But there were only rocks piled up around him, and he raked a hand through his already disheveled hair as he bit back a cry of frustration.

"Rose?" he called, hoping to elicit some sort of response. _Please let her be alive_. She had to be, he knew she still must be breathing because he was certain he'd feel his own hearts seize in his chest if she were taken from him.

"Doctor?" her voice was muffled but strong, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he approached the rock pile. Upon closer inspection, he could make out where there had once been a cave entrance. He cursed silently and looked around for anything to move the massive boulder that had fallen right in her path.

"I'm here. Are you alright?" There was a small crack in the upper corner of the cave, and he heaved himself up on a nearby ledge to peer into the darkness. He could see the faint shadow of his friend crouched on the cave floor about five meters below him, and another lying prone in her lap.

"Yeah, but Jaffron's leg got stuck under a rock. I can't budge it." Her head was turned toward him, but he couldn't see her face for the darkness that surrounded her. He tried several different angles, but the hole was nowhere near large enough for him to squeeze through.

"I'll have to go for help. I can't move this on my own."

"Sen – his brother – ran to get help just before you got here. Not sure how far he's made it, though." The Doctor calculated his options and shook his head.

"I can run and be back in less than ten minutes." She looked around at the almost knee deep water and frowned, unsure of how much time they actually had. She didn't want to send the boy into a panic, but he seemed to be rather out of it since his foot had become trapped. He was currently clutching at her waist and whimpering every now and then.

"Hurry." She stared at the silhouette of his head in the small hole, imagining the determined look that would be etched on his face. Then, in a flash, he was gone and she was left in the dim cavern with only Jaffron for company.

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"It hurts," the boy cried again, grasping at her tightly. She made a soft, soothing noise and stroked his hair away from his face.

"The Doctor'll get help in no time. He's brilliant – saved my hide loads of times." She tried to sound reassuring, but the rising water level was becoming an issue. She carefully unwrapped his arms from her body and stood, peering at their surroundings.

The cave-in had blocked off the entrance but it had also collapsed a portion of the area, leaving only a few square feet of space around them. She sloshed over to the boulder blocking the opening and frowned at it, as if her sheer will could make it move. Predictably, it didn't budge and she sighed as she looked back at the boy.

The rising tide was slowly flooding the cramped area, and he had to prop himself up on his elbows to keep from drowning. She waded over to him and put her shoulder to the rock, trying to lift it, but it wouldn't move.

"Well this is fantastic," she grumbled, looking around. Her eyes fell on a large limb protruding from the ground, presumably dumped there by the last tide. She quickly fell to her knees and began to dig it out, hoping to use it as a pry bar against the large rock. The branch seemed to go on forever, and soon she couldn't even see it for the water that flooded in.

"Help me!" Jaffron had pushed himself all the way up and was now almost bent over his own knees to keep his head above water. Rose herself was knee deep and she cursed silently as she moved back over to the boy. She had to get him out now, and there was only one way to do that.

"Jaffron, I'm going to have to dig you out. I need you stay absolutely still, you got that? Can you be brave?" The boy sniffed once and nodded, and Rose cradled his head soothingly before diving down below the water.

It was slow going, and each time she surfaced for air she had to go a little further. Jaffron was in a full panic now as the water lapped against his chin and he spluttered helplessly. Rose took a breath and submerged, using her hands to feel her way down to where his foot was still wedged under the rock. She clawed furiously at the sand, pulling it away from beneath his leg.

Her chest burned with the need for oxygen, and she pushed herself to the surface once again. The boy had tilted his head up to keep his nose above the water for as long as possible. He had only seconds now, and Rose took one last deep breath and dove down. Jaffron thrashed above her, and she knew the water had risen above his head. His hand connected solidly with her ribs, but she ignored the pain as she yanked his foot free. Wrapping an arm around him, she pulled him back to the surface and they both gulped at the air furiously. They could both stand, but the water level was above the boy's waist and almost to Rose's hip.

"How long does it usually take for the tide to come all the way in?" she asked, and Jaffron shrugged. "Does this cave usually flood all the way to the top?" she tried hopefully, but in the fading light she could see the answer in his eyes. If the Doctor didn't come back in time, they were going to drown.

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The Doctor ran frantically through the streets, his eyes searching for someone – _anyone _– who could help him. Finally he found one of the street grocers packing up late from the day's activity. Grasping his arm with a grip that would probably leave a bruise, the Doctor spun him around.

"Please," he gasped, "you have to help me. My friend," he gestured behind him, "she's trapped in a cave and the tide's coming in. There's a boy in there with her." The initial shock from being manhandled so forcefully wore off, and the man started into action.

"Don't take but half an hour for the tide to rise fully," he added sadly. "They're trapped?" The Doctor's entire body was shaking with panic at the man's words, and he barely registered the question in his tone.

"Yes, the entrance collapsed and there's a large rock blocking the way. Do you have some sort of anti-gravitational device?" The grocer looked quizzically at him and shook his head.

"Fires broke out on the north side. That's why everyone's gone early. Medics and Police are all tied up." The look on the Doctor's face darkened, and the grocer took a sharp breath. "But there are still some of us left about," he gestured over his shoulder. "I'll get some men and come with you." The Doctor clapped him on the shoulder and took off back the way he came.

"Gather as many men as you can and meet me at the rocky pier. And _hurry_." The order in his voice was apparent, and the man nodded before dashing off down the street. The Doctor watched him call out for a few people, gesturing toward the beach vehemently. Soon there was a group of about fifteen of them sprinting down the street back to the beach.

Hiram was waiting nervously as the group skidded to a halt. Yelling in the distance alerted them to the arrival of more people, and the Doctor looked over with a grim smile at the boy and three adults that accompanied him.

"Where's my baby?" the woman shrieked. "Where's Jaffron?" She bypassed the gathered mob and went straight for Hiram.

"Mama! He went down after a shell crab and got stuck. A woman went down after and then the cave collapsed!" The woman let out a despairing wail, and the Doctor cringed against the sound.

"They're alive," he input quickly, laying a hand on her shoulder. "We just need to move the boulder blocking the entrance. Come on!" He beckoned the mass of people behind him, and made to leap off the edge again. He stopped short, however, when he realized his landing spot was underwater. The rising tide had washed out the sandy floor below, and was well on the way to filling the cove.

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It was dark now that sunlight had all but faded, and she couldn't see Jaffron's fearful expression. But she could feel the terror radiating off of him, and he curled around her waist for comfort as she desperately racked her brain for a solution.

"He's not coming back!" Jaffron wailed finally, and Rose tightened her arm around his shoulders.

"Yes he is." There was such resolute certainty in her voice that Jaffron had no choice but to believe her, and she thought she felt his shoulders relax ever so slightly in relief. "He'll come back and bring help. We'll be out of here before…" but she didn't finish her sentence.

"Rose?" The Doctor's voice floated down to them, and she heaved a sigh of relief as she ruffled the boy's hair.

"See, everything's fine now," she told him, pulling him toward the blocked entrance. "Doctor! We're here. I got him free, but the water's up past my waist now. Tell me you got help!"

"I did, just hold tight. We'll have you out of there in a jiffy!" There was a murmur of voices that steadily grew closer, and Rose pulled Jaffron up to the edge of the boulder to wait for rescue.

The Doctor led the group down to the cove, and soon they were all wading about next to the boulder as Jaffron's mother and grandfather waited anxiously up top with the other two boys. Someone – the Doctor guessed Jaffron's father – had thought to bring several flashlights, and beams of light bounced around as they surveyed their task.

"Right," the Doctor started, looking about him, "we need to budge this boulder to the left here. There's a small hole up top there, but it's nowhere near big enough to fit anyone through. But," he added emphatically, "if we move this thing just a bit, they may be able to squeeze out when the water rises."

Shuffling to their positions, fifteen pairs of hands settled to the rock and heaved. But instead of shifting, it seemed to sink even further into the sand. They tried twice more with the same results, and the Doctor began to get worried. As they continued to heave, he clamored up to the ledge to peer into the crack.

"Rose?" he angled his flashlight to shine down into the hole. She was sopping weight and cradling the small form of a young boy against her, but she was alive.

"We're here," she answered, craning her neck to look up at him. "What's going on?"

"Well," he tugged on his ear with his free hand, a nervous gesture she picked up on immediately. "We may have to wait for the water to rise a bit, make it easier to lift the boulder." Rose nodded and shivered in the cold water. It had been a relief earlier on her sun-warmed skin, but now in the darkness of the cave it felt almost freezing. "I'll get you out, Rose," he promised, his face set in grim determination.

"No doubt in my mind," she answered with a small grin. He smiled at her faith in him, remembering back to his first full day in this new life when he'd realized his best friend still believed in him.

"Put your backs into it, men!" the grocer shouted, and the Doctor looked down at the gathered men. The water was at their chest level now, and too soon it would difficult for them to even stand. But no one seemed to be giving in as the men strained against the impossible weight. Even the Doctor with his superior Time Lord biology was not strong enough to even move it a centimeter.

"Doctor?" Rose called out, and he looked back down. She was gripping the wall tightly with one hand as she pulled Jaffron into her side with the other. "I can't touch bottom anymore." He looked around frantically, noting she was almost three meters from him now.

"I'm going to get you out, Rose," he repeated his promise to her earnestly, but felt his hearts pounding in his chest as he analyzed his dwindling options. It would take too long to try and carve away the rock, and even with a pry bar and the added help from the water there was little chance of moving the boulder. He couldn't sonic the enormous rock either; the resulting shatter-effect would flay them instantly.

"Look," she said, and his breath caught at the tone of her voice, "when the water gets high enough I'm going to hand Jaffron to you. He's small enough to squeeze through there, yeah?"

"Yes," he agreed, "but you're not."

"You calling me fat, Doctor?" There was a light teasing in her voice, but he heard the underlying panic she was trying to hide for the boy's sake.

"Never," he returned, "you are perfectly Rose-shaped." She let out a hollow laugh and kicked her feet to keep them afloat as she readjusted her grip on the rock. A quick glance down at the cove disheartened the Doctor as the men scrambled to keep their footing in the chin-high water. Some of them were already treading, and Jaffron's grandfather was reaching down to pull them from the tumultuous water. One by one, the men were forced to abandon the rescue attempt.

From his spot on the ledge the Doctor could feel the rising ocean at his heels. Rose was almost within reach now, and she carefully disentangled the boy from her waist. He resisted her for a moment, but when the Doctor's hand closed around his arm he kicked frantically toward freedom.

"Hold still!" the Doctor shouted, noticing how Rose winced at the boy's movement. If he struggled too much, Rose would lose her grip on the rock and be swept by the current into the side of the cave. Footsteps above him alerted him to the presence of several men on the pier. He risked a glance upward and realized he was only a meter or so from the top.

His hold on the boy solidified, and he hauled him through the crack with only minor difficulty. Jaffron's mother cried in relief as the Doctor stood to lift the boy into his father's arms. With the boy safe in the arms of his parents, the Doctor turned his full attention to Rose. His arm snaked back through the crack and she grasped his hand like a lifeline.

"Doctor?" he could hear the fear in her voice now; with Jaffron safe her need to remain strong seemed to have abandoned her.

"Rose," he answered, putting as much feeling into her name as he could muster.

"I'm not getting out of this one, am I?" she said, and even though it had been a question he heard the finality in her tone.

"There has to be a way," he countered, laying his head against the hard rock. Her skin was freezing and he could hear her teeth chattering from the cold water, but her grip on his hand was strong.

"Don't suppose you could sonic that hole any bigger?" she tried, but he shook his head sadly.

"It'll take too long to carve it bigger, and if I try to shatter it it'll kill you." He crouched down a little lower so he could see her face in the beam of light.

"Doctor!" the grocer cried from the pier above him. "You have to get out of the cove. When the tide's full the waves'll smash you against the rock!"

"You have to go," Rose told him firmly, but he shook his head.

"I'm not leaving you here," he answered.

"There's nothing you can do for me!" she shouted back, fighting back the tears. "If you don't go you'll be killed too." She tried to let go of his hand but he clamped down, refusing to let go of her.

"I can't," he whispered. "I can't just leave you."

"Please," she was crying now, and he wondered at this marvelous human that had infused herself so fully into his life. Because he knew she wasn't crying out of fear, or from the knowledge that she was going to die in a matter of minutes. She was crying because she knew he would gladly die beside her than leave her to face this alone.

"No, Rose." She was eye level with him now, and the water had risen up around him. It was cold but he ignored it, using his free hand to anchor him to the side of the pier. Her lips were blue from the cold, and he could feel her shiver as he readjusted his grip from her hand to her arm. He pulled her as close as he could, cursing silently as her face remained just out of reach.

A surge of water pressed him into the rock face and he held on tight as it passed, spitting sea water out of his mouth when it passed. Rose had let go of the rock and grabbed his arm with both hands in an attempt to keep him from colliding too forcefully with the rock.

"Are you alright?" she cried, pulling him back to the opening. He was thoroughly drenched and a little bit panicked, but he wasn't injured.

"Fine," he assured her, "just a little water." She looked back at the quickly-filling cave and then back at the Doctor.

"Water's still rising," she told him. "There's not much time and –"

"Don't say that," he hissed. "There could still be a way out."

"Would you just stop!" she raised her voice, silencing his normally never-ending babble. "Stop for just a second with the 'everything's gonna be okay' speech. 'Cause it's not. It's not gonna be okay. In a few minutes this whole cave is gonna be underwater and I'm going to drown."

"Rose…" his voice broke with sorrow but she shook her head and continued.

"And I'm okay with it." The serenity in her voice killed him inside, but he forced himself to listen to what were probably her last words. "I got to spend these last few years doing something I never thought I could ever do. And that's because of you." He closed his eyes at her words and pushed back the tears that threatened to fall. It was all his fault – he'd brought her here and now she was going to die.

"Stop it!" she seemed to have read his mind and her hand tightened like a vice on his own. "I wouldn't trade our time together for anything. You gave me a gift, Doctor." She took a few shaky breaths, but the Doctor couldn't tell if it was due to the cold or her turbulent emotions. "Go see my mum. Tell her what happened, that I made my choice and I wouldn't change it. Tell her I love her." Tears spilled over her cheeks as the water rose even higher. Their heads were the only things above water now, and the Doctor had to fight to keep hold of her hand. Her breath was becoming labored now, and he knew the pressure of the water was getting to her.

"I love you, too" she added softly, her eyes boring into his own with a power he'd never felt before. "I have for a long time, I just always thought, what with all of time and space –" She didn't have to elaborate; he had shared her thoughts. They should have had plenty of time, more opportunities, more adventures.

In an instant, what could have been flashed across his mind and he stifled a sob at the images. Each and every possibility for her timeline unfolded before him, and he wept for what could have been, what should have been. With a cry he shoved those thoughts behind a door and slammed it shut, locking it away never to be seen again. She was speaking again, and this time he didn't hide his tears from her.

"I want you to promise me something, Doctor. I want to you go on. Find someone else, someone who can look out for you, keep you outta too much trouble." She tried to smile, but it faltered at her lips and she only managed a half-grimace.

"Rose, no –" She couldn't ask that of him; there would be nothing else after this. But there was such conviction in her eyes that he knew he could deny her nothing.

"Promise me!" Her plea was so heart-wrenching that he did the only thing he could think of. He locked his gaze on hers, took a deep breath, and lied.

"I promise, Rose." He swallowed sea water as he tried to say more, and she spluttered as well as the ocean rose to their lips. "Rose, you have to know…I should have…we would have…I…" But words seemed to have failed him and she smiled even on death's doorstep.

"I know." And she did. It was in every touch, every smile, every time he said her name with such love that it felt like a prayer. But it wasn't enough for him, and he shook his head violently.

"But I _have_ to say it," he screamed back. "Why can't I just say it?" He opened his mouth to say the words that his hearts were screaming aloud, but nothing came out.

"Shh," she soothed, lifting her head to take in as much air as she could. "You need to go now. _Please._"

"No," he returned forcefully. "I am not leaving." He tightened his hold on her, but she relaxed her fingers enough to slip them free. Several hands latched onto his shirt and arms and began hauling him up even as he fought against them. "NO! I can't leave her! Rose!" He thrashed around, but there were too many men pulling, and soon he was in a heap at their feet on the pier. The water gave a sickening gurgle as the opening finally disappeared beneath the surface, and the Doctor made a mad attempt to dive back in. It took almost eight men to hold him down as he screamed and bucked futilely, but in the end he could only watched as the waves slammed against the rocks and sealed her fate.

Gradually the gathered assembly left until only Jaffron, his family, and the grocer remained. They tried to coax the Doctor to his feet, but he just sat unmoving, staring at the surface of the water. In a cruel mockery of his life, the water had stopped rising just above the entrance almost half a meter away from the top of the pier. He cursed his Time Lord brain as it ticked off the seconds, noting the exact moment when her survival became an impossibility.

In the back of his mind, he registered the grocer and Jaffron's father speaking in hushed tones. He caught snippets about the tide falling over night and coming back to retrieve the body early the next morning before beach-goers stumbled upon it.

More hands grabbed at him, but he was aware enough to register them as young hands, and he looked up into the face of Hiram and his younger brother, Sen. Their grandfather was there as well, and the Doctor felt weary as they helped him to his feet.

"You're staying with us tonight," their father insisted. Stunned into silence, the Doctor could do little more than nod and follow them back to their house. As they stepped off the pier, however, a soft sound reached his ears.

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The mock of the sirens forced a hollow laugh from his throat, and he turned to the approaching vehicles in disgust. An ambulance was leading the way, along with several trucks loaded with various equipment strapped to the sides and top. They slid to a halt next to them, and as they bustled out the Doctor vaguely recognized some of the men from the initial rescue attempt.

"Stand aside!" one yelled, dashing for the pier. But the sight of the water bubbling up above the cave entrance stopped him short, and they all froze.

"You're too late," the Doctor hissed. "She's gone." Anguish and despair crashed down around him, and he forced back a sob. He wouldn't cry in front of these strangers; he would save his sorrow for the empty halls of the TARDIS.

"Daven, get that stuff over here," one man barked, and the Doctor whirled on him with a fury borne of grief.

"IT'S TOO LATE!" He felt a hand on his shoulder but it wasn't the right hand – wasn't _her_ hand – and so he ignored it. "I lost her." The man named Daven looked at the pier, then back at the trucks. Wordlessly, he exchanged the ladder he'd been holding for a small tool, and then walked back out onto the pier. He appeared to make some careful calculations before hitting his knees. The device in his hands whirred over the stone, and his face screwed up in concentration as he worked.

Suddenly he looked up, an indecipherable look on his face. "Ben, Killian, Havram, come here!" He went back to work, and all of a sudden the Doctor saw what he was doing. He was cutting through the ceiling of the cave, creating a hole. Men dashed by him with various instruments, and he started in an instant. He lurched forward, his hands already reaching for his sonic screwdriver to lend a hand, when arms came around him.

"No, let 'em work," the grocer's voice was rough in his ear, and he struggled against the hold.

"No, Rose!" He thrashed twice before he realized his strength was gone; he'd used the last of it fighting to stay with her even as the water engulfed her completely. "Rose."

"They'll get her for you. She'll have a proper burial, not that watery grave." The words were meant to be comforting, but they stabbed at his hearts like a red-hot knife. His legs gave out and he sank to the sand, uncaring that he'd dragged the man behind him along. They both knelt on the beach, watching as four strangers worked to dig Rose's body from the cave. Suddenly, one of them looked up sharply and began shouting and waving at his companions.

"Bring blankets! She's alive!"

The Doctor's head snapped up at those two words, and he was on his feet and running to the pier faster than the grocer could even blink. Crashing to his knees next to the hole, he peered down into the darkness and wept all over again. This time, however, joy and relief flooded him as he realized what had happened.

The cave-in hadn't just collapsed the entrance, but most of the ceiling as well. When the water had stopped rising there was space left at the top where rock would have been, leaving an air pocket half a meter tall and almost three meters wide.

Rose was clinging to the ceiling, shivering and blue but very much alive. He tried, but he couldn't reach her from his position, but when he pulled his arm back he found his strength had returned tenfold.

"She's alive!" he called over his shoulder, and the family's rejoicing warmed him. Rose had saved their son, and now he was going to save her. "Rose can you hear me?" Her eyes fluttered open, and her lips trembled from the cold as she tried to answer. "Shh, don't speak," he countered. "You'll be out in no time." Energy renewed, he took up a tool and began helping to chip away at the stone.

"Doctor?" Her voice was weak and he felt a pang of fear about her body temperature. Looking over his shoulder, he was relieved to see a pile of blankets behind him. It took almost no time at all to widen the gap further, and very soon it was large enough to pull her through. The Doctor laid on the rock and slipped his arms underneath hers, using every ounce of strength to heave her out.

Blankets covered her immediately, and the Doctor used a handful of towels to dry her waterlogged body. Her breathing was labored, but not gurgling, so the medics were satisfied that she hadn't inhaled any water. Her core temperature was dangerously low, but there was simply no room for her at the area hospital at the moment.

The Doctor waved them off, thanking them but insisting she would be returning with him once her body temperature was back to normal. There was little chance she would receive the absolute attention he could give her in the TARDIS, and he was eager to return home with her as soon as possible.

He held her hand as she was carted to the ambulance, and he listened attentively as the medics detailed exactly what she needed in order to recover fully. Her breathing was evening out now that she was warming up, her eyes fluttered every now and then as her temperature gradually rose back to normal.

He lifted her into his arms, ignoring his muscles screaming in protest. Her head fell to his shoulder, and he didn't resist the urge to kiss her forehead tenderly. After another heartfelt thanks from the family (and a promise to visit when Rose was feeling better) the Doctor set off for the TARDIS.

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When she came to, the first thing she was aware of was the gentle, soothing hum of the TARDIS. Her eyelids were heavy, and when she finally managed to lift them she took in the familiar surroundings.

"How are you feeling?" a soft voice startled her, but she didn't jump. Instead, she turned her head to look at her friend, her Doctor, sitting diligently at her bedside. He appeared to have made himself comfortable in a plush chair, complete with a kettle of tea, a stack of books, and his sonic screwdriver. His eyes were focused on her, and he leaned forward with his elbows on his knees as he watched her awaken.

She opened her mouth to answer, but only a soft rasp came out. She swallowed a few times, noting with curiosity how parched and dry her throat was. He leaned forward and slipped an arm underneath her, supporting her weight until she was rested upright against the headboard. Wordlessly he handed her a glass of water, and she drank it greedily as he settled on the side of her bed.

"Thank you," her voice was still scratchy but it didn't feel like she was trying to talk around sandpaper anymore. He was still sitting next to her on the bed, and she could feel his eyes on her as she set the glass on the nightstand.

"How are you feeling?" he repeated his question, retrieving his sonic to scan her. He seemed to be straining against some invisible force, and his face was tense with concentration as he finished his scan. She did a quick inventory and shrugged, noting the ache that accompanied muscle fatigue.

"Tired mostly," she answered. "And sore. Other than that –" She didn't get to finish her sentence as the invisible force holding him back broke and he launched himself at her, trapping her smaller form against him. Her arms came up automatically even as her brain tried to explain his desperation. The last thing she remembered was saving Jaffron and the Doctor searching for a way to get to her. There were vague flashes of rising water, encompassing darkness, then the Doctor's voice again. His arms had come around her and hauled her from her cold, watery prison then her world went black.

He pulled back and framed her face with his hands, drinking the sight of her alive, healthy, and _here_. The intensity in his stare made her quiver, but she held still as his eyes roamed over her. Finally, when it was clear he wasn't going to break the silence, she took a hesitant breath and rested her hands on his wrists.

"Doctor?"

"I lost you," he whispered. "You…we couldn't get you out." Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion as her eyes darted around the room.

"But I'm here," she countered. "You rescued me."

"No," he shook his head and let his thumbs caress the soft skin of her cheeks. "We couldn't move the boulder. I thought you'd drowned. When the authorities came, they dug through the top of the pier to get to y –" he paused and took a shaky breath. "To your body." His eyes were glassy with tears, and she moved her hands from his wrists to his shoulders. One gentle tug was all the encouragement he needed to fall into her again, clinging to her desperately. She adjusted her position to accommodate his weight, and he stretched out next to her as he wept into her shoulder.

Time seemed to stand still as they lay together, and even after his sobs subsided she still stroked his back and whispered comfort into his ear, reminding him she was still here. Memories were flooding back to her, and she recalled her tearful goodbye and his stubborn refusal to leave.

"_I want to you go on. Find someone else, someone who can look out for you, keep you outta too much trouble." _

She gave a soft chuckle at the thought, knowing just how much of a trouble-magnet he really was.

"_I promise_."

He'd lied. Of course he'd lied; she saw it in his eyes. But he'd tried to give her that peace, that comfort anyway. And she loved him all the more for it.

"_I love you_."

"_Why can't I just say it?"_

"_I know."_

Just because he didn't say the words aloud didn't mean she was blind. Countless smiles, hugs, and caresses filled her mind and she held him tighter to her.

He pulled back and propped himself up on an elbow, using his free hand to caress her face as he lay on his side facing her. She was still pale, but she was warm underneath his fingers and her eyes fluttered closed under his ministrations. A contented hum passed her lips, and he smiled softly as she relaxed back into the cushions.

"I love you, Rose."

Her eyes snapped open at his words, so soft she half-imagined she'd heard them at all. But the look on his face told her otherwise, and she raised herself up to mirror his position.

"What?" She stared at him incredulously. She'd resigned herself to these brief stolen moments, recorded them to memory as they happened. She had never kidded herself on the source of his hesitation; he'd told her early on just why he wouldn't allow himself to open up. He would live even after she was dead and gone, and he thought he couldn't bear it if he allowed himself to love, allowed himself that happiness. It pained her but she accepted it, unwilling to cause him any pain at all even if it was hypothetical. But he seemed to have forgotten for the moment, lost in the emotion and relief that overwhelmed them.

"Do you know how amazing you are?" he said, not repeating his earlier statement but using the same soft tone. When she shook her head softly he gave a soft puff of laughter that tickled the hair falling about her ear. "I was broken. An old, broken, shell of a man who'd lost everything that ever mattered. Then you come along with your smile, and your cheeky manner, and your boundless compassion and you saved me." His hand moved back to her face, letting his fingertips trace the outline of her cheek. This time she kept her eyes open, watching his face as he explored hers.

"You made me young again. _You_, Rose Tyler. I'd never believed it before; I always just thought it was a story. But…" he trailed off in that way that told Rose there was more going on in his mind than he'd wanted to divulge. But he'd gone and gotten her curious now, and she grabbed his hand from her face and held it fast between them.

"Believe what?" she kept her voice as soft as his, unwilling to chance breaking whatever spell had settled over them. His fingers seemed unable to be still, and he turned her hand palm up to trace alien symbols along the delicate skin there.

"There is – _was_ – an old legend on Gallifrey, a story, really, that the elders would tell the youngsters when the subject of regeneration was being discussed. It's a frightening concept for a child, Rose, to know that you won't always look like you. It might be natural for us, but that doesn't make it any less disconcerting when your grandmother abruptly changes into a woman younger than your mother." She gave a soft laugh at his joke, but kept her gaze focused on his.

"Can you tell me the story?" she asked quietly, wanting more than anything to share this piece of his home with him. For a moment, she thought he was going to wave her off as he always did when anything related to his lost home arose, claim she needed her rest and leave her alone. Instead, he smiled at her and reclined on his back, pulling her with him until she was settled comfortably into his side. Her head fell to his chest and she listened to the comforting thumping of one of his hearts against her ear, letting her hand fall to the other side as he took a breath. His chest rumbled with his words, and she felt herself relax completely as his voice washed over her.

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"In the time of the First People, each person had one life to live, though it was a long one filled with happiness and prosperity. There was no famine, no disease, and no killing; the First People lived in harmony with everything around them. For centuries our people lived like this, happy and thriving.

"Then one day, a Spirit visited the planet. He looked down upon the happiness of the First People and it disgusted him. He made to invade the world and give despair and sorrow to its people, but the Twelve Gods of Gallifrey intervened. They knew they could not immediately banish the Spirit, but they could bind the Spirit to follow certain rules upon his visit.

"First, they told him, he must not end anyone's life, for the right to claim souls lay strictly with the Gods. Second, he must not introduce disease onto the world, for that would surely lead to death. Last, they bound him to one soul, one victim. If his quarry succumbed to despair and sorrow, they said, they would allow the Spirit to roam the land free of any restrictions. But if he did not, if the Spirit's prey remained hopeful and strong, the Spirit would be banished from the world for all of time. The Spirit would be given twelve chances – one for each God of Gallifrey – and after that the Spirit will have failed.

"Once it was agreed upon, the Spirit began searching for his prey. He came upon two young lovers napping on a hillside, having just spent the afternoon in each other's arms. The Spirit grinned and descended upon them and, remembering the rules laid out by the Gods, chose the man as his prey. Thinking himself clever for cheating the rules, he changed the woman's face. Then, he hid behind a tree and waited for the man to realize his lover was no longer the same he'd fell in love with and leave her in his grief.

"When the man awoke, he looked down at the woman he loved and gave a yell. But when she opened her eyes his panic receded, and he saw his lover staring back at him. When she had seen her own reflection in the stream, she began to cry and beg her husband not to leave her. But he merely smiled at her and kissed her gently. Sitting her next to the stream, he prayed to Ny'alah, goddess of the waters, to wash his face clean of his old life so that may share a new one with his lover. He dipped his hands in the water and splashed his face, and when the water fell away he was a new man. The pair embraced once again, renewed in their love for each other.

"Not disheartened, the Spirit followed them home and, as they lay sleeping in their beds, transformed the woman into an Ilian, a bird with course blue feathers and a screeching call. This time, when the man awoke to a creature in his bed where his wife should have been, he knew he was being tested by the Gods. He prayed to Jakaal, god of trickery, to help him in this test. In the next moment, two Ilians took flight into the night sky.

"Nine more times the Spirit transformed the woman, and nine times the man beseeched help from his Gods. A beast, an elder, a tree, a fish, but nothing the Spirit could think of lessened the devotion this man held for his wife. Whatever she became, he followed. Finally, when the Spirit could stand it no longer, he transformed them both back into people and stood before them.

"'Why have you not given in?' he asked the man. 'Each time I took her from you, and each time you followed. Any man should have despaired.' The man didn't answer him, but he took his wife's hand and walked away. The Spirit turned to face the Gods who had appeared behind him, though they did not seem angry, only satisfied.

"'Twelve times you tempted Our Child to sorrow, and twelve times you failed. Hope lives on in Our People, and so you are banished. But you will always be remembered, and Our People will be given a life for each of your failures to reward them for their devotion. Now be gone.' And the Spirit vanished, never to return again."

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When he was finished she lifted her head from his chest and gave him the most brilliant smile he'd ever seen on her face.

"That was beautiful," she told him. "Thank you." He returned her smile with one of his own and brought his hand up to cradle her face.

"I had always thought it was just a story the elders told to explain the twelve regenerations. But it's more than that." A heavy silence fell over them, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Rose licked her dry lips again, immediately catching the Doctor's eyes cut down to watch the small movement. All of a sudden he began stammering about her getting rest and checking the control room, and he carefully extricated himself from her arms. Rose frowned at the cold chill that swept over her, but she forced herself to settle down into the blankets.

He tucked them in around her gently and leaned over her, and for a moment she thought he was finally going to kiss her. She closed her eyes and waited for the moment she'd been anticipating for months, for the touch she had always craved but knew she could never have. She felt pressure on her forehead opened her eyes to see his soft smile hovering over her.

"You get some rest." The TARDIS dimmed the lights as he walked toward the door, but his name from her lips stopped him. When he turned, she was propped up on her elbows looking at him with an expression that made his hearts race. It was a mix between curiosity and desire, and he found himself rooted to the spot under her gaze.

"Are you ever going to kiss me properly?" He chuckled softly and leaned against the open doorframe.

"Rose Tyler," he spoke quietly, "always asking the right questions." Pushing off with his shoulder, he stalked back to the bed purposefully. Leaning down, he brought his face so close to hers he could feel the moment her breath quickened. Brushing his lips lightly against her cheek, he moved his mouth to her ear.

"If – no, _when_," he amended firmly. "_When_ I kiss you properly, I want to make sure you're well enough to endure it." And he was out the door, leaving her completely stunned in his wake. She had never heard his voice take on that husky tone before, but she knew in that moment she wanted to hear it again.

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><p>Well that got a bit existential at the end there. Oh well. How did you like the Gallifreyan folklore? That part took me longer to write than the rest of the fic.<p> 


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